Electric burglar-alarm



(No Model.)

' J. Y. MCKINNEY.

ELECTRIC BURGLAR ALARM.

Patented Mar. 26, 1889 ,N K/WAI V/fl/ w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH Y. MCKINNEY, OF NEW WVILIWIINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC BURGLAR-ALARM.

'sPEcIF'IoATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,239, dated March 26, 18 9.

Application fil December 1'7, 1888. Serial No. 293,877; (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH Y. MCKINNEY, of New lVilmington, in he county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have in- Vented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Burglar-Alarms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a-full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in electric burglar-alarms; and it consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The objects of my invention are to provide an alarm which is connected by means of wires to the windows and doors of a house, so that when any one of them is opened an alarm is given, and to provide the doors and windows with a series of contact-points, so

I that when they are opened the current is alternately broken and closed, and to provide the instrument with an armature for operating an indicator each time the current is broken and closed, whereby the particular door or window which has been opened may be designated or ascertained by the number pointed to by an indicator on a dial.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a burglar-alarm embodying my invention, the inclosing-case broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of a door and its frame with the 0011- tact-points secured thereto. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective of the spring-actuated pins secured to the top of the door and to the side of the window-frame. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a window and a portion of its frame with the contactpoints secured thereto. Fig.

5 is a detached vertical section of the spring actuated pins which are secured to the wIndoW-frame and to the top of the door.

A represents the inclosing-case, to the back of which the casting B is secured in any suitable manner, and to which the magnets and armatures are secured. In operating my invention I use three batteries-one as a bellbattery, one as a set battery, and the third as as a reserve or indicator battery. The instrument as here shown is in a position ready to be set when it is desired to have an alarm sounded at the opening of a window or door. The current from the bell-battery 0 passes through the switch D to the L-shaped casting E, that is secured to the back of the casing A,

preferably by m cans of a screw. The current passes through the casting E to the armature K, through the screw-pin which passes through the upright I, through this upright to the post M, through the screw pin, which passes through this post to the armature N, through the casting B to the point or screw a, which is connected to one end of the magnets O by a wire, and through the magnets O to the other pole of the battery 0, thus making a complete circuit. One pole of the set battery G passes to the windows and doors,*thence to the switch G, then to magnets P, through the magnets to the post R, thence to one pole of the reserve or indicator battery D, through the battery to the post T, through the armature S to the casting E, and thence through the wire U to the other pole of the battery G, thus completing this circuit.

The armature N is provided with a contactpoint, N, which engages the inner end of the screw-pin M, that passes through the post M, and by means of which the distance of the armature N from the magnets O is regulated. The inner end of the armature N is connected to the casting by means of a spring, n, and which normally holds the armature N from the magnets 0 when a current is not passing through. the magnets. The armatures S and K are also provided with springs that are connected to their inner ends and to the upper end of the L-shaped casting E, by means of which the two armatures are normally held from the magnets P when a current is not passing through these magnets.

The distance of the armature K from the magnets P is regulated by means of the screw-pin I, which passes through'the upper end of the post I. The normal position of the armature S is as shown, its outer end being in contact with the upper end of the post T, and in this position the armature S is out of the magnetic influence of the magnets P. At the opposite end of magnets P from the armatures S K is an armature, Y, which has connected to its inner end a spring, 25, that has its opposite end connected to an upwardlyprojecting portion, Y, of the casting B; also secured to the innerend of the armature Y is an L-shaped spring, Y which extends back a suitable distance and has engaging therewith 5 a screw, S, by means of which the distance of the armature Y from the magnets P and the strength of the spring is regulated. The inner end of the armature N also has an L- shaped spring, N which extends backward a suitable distance and has engaging therewith the screw T, which passes through an upwardly-projecting portion of the casting B, for the purpose of regulating the distance, in conjunction with the screw M, of the arma- 5 ture N from the magnets O and the strength of the spring. Fastened to the outer end of the armature Y is the escapement L, which engages with the escapement-wheel O. The shaft of this escapement-wheel O has its lower end journaled in the base of the casting B, and its upper end passing through a cross-bar, B, secured to upwardly-projecting portions of the casting B through the inclosing-case, and is provided with a hand orindi- 2 5 cator, B that points to the numbers of the dial D, that is secured to the outer side of the casing. Fastened to a projection upon. the end of the casting B is a bell or gong, A, and which is sounded by means of the clapper 0 G, that is secured to the outer end of the armature N. The casting Bis provided with a number of upwardly-projecting portions, as shown, to which and in which the armatures, the magnets, and other operating devices of the instrument are attached. The casting E is separated from this casting l3, and is secured to the back of the casing in a similar manner to the casting B. By means of the switch D the bell-battery current is broken during the day, when it is not desired that an alarm should be sounded, and thus the strength of the battery reserved. The indicator and setbatter'y ciirrents are also broken by means of the switch G for a like purpose.

Secured to the outer end of the armature S is a push-rod, II, which extends through the casing sufficiently far to enable the said armature S to be pushed inward until it bears against the post R and is within the magnetic influence of the magnets P, where it is held.

As shown in Fig. 2, there are a suitable number of spring-actuated contact points or pins, J, secured to the upper portion of the door. These contact-points or spring-actuated pins are connected together by means of wires and contact-plates P. For convenience in describing these contact-points and their operatioinl number them as shown. Secured to theunder side of the upper portion of the door-frame are the plates 17 c, with which the spring actuated contact-points 5 and 6 engage. These plates are connected to the wires of the battery G, as shown.

The spring-actuated contact-points consist of the casting m, the insulator or non-conductor 72, secured to its under side, and the wire frame 0, which extends downward a suitable distance, forming a guide for the lower end of the spring-actuated pin and a stop for the lower end of the spiral spring 19, passing through the pins J. Just below the insulator n are the pins or contacts (1, which engage the plates P, which are secured to the insulators connected with pins 1 and 3 when the pins are down, but the contacts 1 of pins 2 and 4c are out of contact with the plates P of said pins. The plates P are connected to the wires 6 and (I, as shown, whereby the circuit through the plates 1) and a is closed when. the door is closed, as shown in Fig. 2. The pins 5 and 6 are not provided with contacts (1, as are the other pins, but have their shoulders to come in contact with the metal plates .9 when they are down. \Vhen the door is closed, the inclined surfaces of the heads of the spring-actuated pins force them down within the door, bringing the contacts of the pins 1 and 3 in contact with their adjacent plates, whereby a current is formed from the plate I), through the contact 5 and through the wire (Z to pin 1, through the contact-pl ates and through the wires 0, which connect the pins 1, 3, 4, and (j to the plate a, which completes the circuit. These little wires 6 are necessary for connecting the pins, since every other pin has its contact-plate so arranged that it is forced out of contact with the ad jacent plates when the door is closed. Connecting the plates of pins 2 and 4 with the wires (1 and e are the wires g, whereby when the door is opened sufficient to allow the spring-pin 1 to move upward and the contactpin q and plates P to be separated the current is broken, and as the door moves open and the pin 2 is allowed to move upward the contactpin and plates of this pin are brought together, on account of their alternate position to that of pin 1, and the current closed through the wires g, c, and (l, and as the door continues to be opened the current is likewise alternately opened and closed.

Secured to the window-frame, as shown in Fig. 4, are a series of spring-actuated pins like those placed in the tops of the door, whereby as the window is raised the circuit is alternately opened and closed.

7 represents the bell-battery current, 8 the reserve-battery current, and 9 the set-battery circuit. i

The operation of my invention is as follows: By pressing inward upon the pin H the setting-armature S is forced inward against the pin R, thus closing the set battery by passing the current from one pole of the battery G through the wire U to the L-shaped casting E, through the set armature S to the post B, through the magnets P to the switch G, through the windows and doors which have been closed to the other pole of the battery G, thus completing the circuit of thisLbattery. By pushing the set armature inward and making contact with the post R the magnets P are electrified, thus holding the arma- ITO ture S in this position and drawing toward the magnets the armatures Y and K. The inward movement of the armature K breaks the bell-circuit and allows the armature N to move from the magnets O. The indicator B is then set to zero, and in this position the instrument is ready to sound an alarm and to indicate the number of times that the current is opened and broken. As a window or door is opened, the current is broken, releasing the armature S and allowing it to spring backward in contact with the post T, thus breaking the original set circuit and completing the circuit of the reserve or indicator battery in connection with the set battery. By the inward movement of this set armature S when the instrument was first set the circuit of the reserve battery was broken, thus reserving its power to be used in operating the armature Y, which is its object, as the set battery may have become weak from being in use many hours. The currentbeing broken by the movement of the window, the armature Y springs outward from the magnets P. One end of the escapement L, operating upon the escapement-wheel, turns it one tooth, thus indicating 1 upon the dial. At the same time the armature K is released by the breaking of the circuit, and engages the screw I, thus completing the bell-circuit, whereby the magnets 0 are charged and the armatureNdrawn inward, which rings the bell. As the window moves upward, or the door is forced open, the circuit is closed, the magnets P charged, and the armatures K and Y are drawn inward. The inward movement of the armature Y causes the opposite end of the escapement to operate upon the escapement-wheel, moving it one tooth, thus indicating upon the dial 2, while the inward movement of the armature K again brakes the bell, which allows the armature N to spring outward and ring the bell.

ward movement of the window, or the opening of the door through the medium of the contact and spring-actuated pins secured to the doors or windows.

If it is desired to make the bell a continuous ringer, the screw I will be turned outward, so as to allow the armature K, when it has been first released by the breaking of the circuit which charged the magnets P, to move sufficiently far from the magnets to be out of their magnetic influence. In this manner the armature N will be alternately and rapidly attracted to and released by the breaking and closing of the circuit through the magnets O This operation is repeated as often as the circuit is broken and closed by the up- I;

mature N, contact N, armature Y, the escapeis then set ready to be operated by the break ingof the circuit of the battery G by the movement of a door or window, and hence the term set battery is applied to it.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In an electric burglar-alarm, the combination, with a bell-battery, a set battery, and a reserve battery, of two sets of magnets, the armature K, which breaks the bell-battery when the magnets P are charged, the set armature S, which closes the set battery when forced inward, and closes the reserve battery when the current is broken, and the armature Y for operating upon an indicator, substantially as described.

2. In an electric burglar-alarm, the combin ation, with a set battery, a bell-battery, and a reserve battery, of two sets of magnets, the armature K, for opening and closing the bellbattery, contact I, the set armature S, provided with the operating-pin H, and posts T and R, with which the armature S engages, for the purpose of closing the reserve battery when the circuit is broken, and for the purpose of closing the set battery when it is forced inward by means of the operating-rod H, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electric burglar-alarm, the-combina tion, with the bell battery, set battery, and reserve battery, of the magnets P and O, the armatures K S, contacts I N, posts R T, ar-

ment secured to its end, and the escapementwheel, the dial and indicator being secured to the shaft of the escapement-wheel, whereby the indicator is moved when the circuit is opened or closed, for the purpose substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH Y. MCKINNEY.

WVitnesses:

O. EDD. STAFFORD, O. W. ANDERSON.- 

